still broke; sometimes knitting

Wednesday.

Where is the week month going? The semester starts next week … and, let’s just say, I’m trying to ignore that.

Scenes so far.

You know, I can’t complain about August. A certain Rooster stopped by Nashville last weekend and we had a delightful time together: good food, chatting on patios, walks in the park, ice cream, take-out, and a few adventures (planned and, um, not so planned). It’s so nice when online friends become real-life friends! Maybe next time we’ll even manage some knitting?

As you can see, August has been filled with many things … but not much knitting. I’d like to think that ideas are percolating. Many ideas about light-weight sweaters. Many, many ideas. Here are just a few of my favorites:

I’m sure there are many more; I seem to be collecting them as I go. Any favorites that I’ve missed?

My dream project, however, is the slightly bonkers 4 Flowerpot Sweater from Icelandic Knitting Using Rose Patterns. I’ve gotten as far as shopping for yarn, reading through the directions, becoming very confused, and putting the book back on the shelf. I have not given up, though. Thing is, this is the kind of sweater I want to wear but do not want to knit. A dilemma.

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9 thoughts on “Wednesday.”

I love that you got to meet up with the Rooster! She’s my favorite. Also, I’ve been drooling over sweaters, too; Paulie and Tempest have been in my queue for a while. In fact, I bought the yarn for Tempest approximately 5 years ago. I’ll knit it one of these days. I’m excited to hear what you decide upon!

You always find the cutest sweaters! Sweaters that end up in my queue, I just hope I get to one of them sooner rather than later. I really like Larch, Tempest, Featherweight, Walnuss and Boe. And I’ve started Whisper twice now!

Your knitting dilemma (this is the kind of sweater I want to wear but do not want to knit) made me chuckle. When I started knitting, I remember reading somewhere about the difference between “process” and “product” knitters. Finding it quite difficult at the beginning, I always assumed I’d be a product knitter, really only making things because what I wanted was the finished object, but quite quickly I realised I knit things because I want to *knit* them, not necessarily because I even like them all that much. I’m not saying I choose patterns which I think are really ugly, but I don’t knit the things I actually want to wear – and I don’t always want to wear the things I knit. I don’t like the look of lacy socks, cables, or variegated yarn when it’s actually knit up, but these are the things which gladden my knitterly heart. To wear, I like navy, grey, and black, in two-ply please [worn with white or (daringly) breton-striped T-shirts!], but imagine knitting them!

It’s strange, isn’t it? The product/ process divide. Like you, I always figured that I’d be a strict product knitter. The more I knit, though, the more I find that there are certain techniques that I really enjoy and will seek out for their sake alone, while others … no way, no how. For instance, I love knitting lace just to knit lace: t’s relaxing and meditative and I like doing it. Which is why I’ve got all these shawls I only occasionally wear (especially in subtropical Nashville: what was I thinking?!). I put lace projects down for MONTHS and come back to them.

Something about color work, though, just stresses me out. I don’t know what it is … probably has to do with the fact that I don’t have much practice? Whatever it is, color work is not something I seek out … hence, the qualms about the 4 Flowerpot. And now that the semester has started again — and I’ve found myself with three part-time research jobs along with my dissertation to finish — I just know that when I have a free moment, I most likely won’t want to devote it to fiddling with bobbins. But I think I’ll try anyway. Who knows, this could be the project that teaches me to love color work, right?

Hope all is well! It’s Labor Day here, but, as usual, no day off for me. Silly private universities.

umm, I’ve had this open on my computer at the Library of Congress for several days. I’d rather click through and look at all those patterns than keep doing research…last day here. I promise to post the picture of our amazing ice cream cones. And yes, hooray for being real-life friends!